Yucatán Peninsula, Spanish Península de Yucatán, a northeastern projection of Central America, lying between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Encompassing some 76,300 square miles (197,600 square km), it includes the Mexican states of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán and, in the south, large parts of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula has a mean breadth of about 200 miles (320 km) and a coastline of about 700 miles (1,100 km).
Nests mapped out
Green sea turtle and Hawksbill sea turtle
100+ People actively involved in the projects
The conservation project has existed since the Marine Turtle Foundation was founded where a ranger station was established and full protection of the island’s turtle nests was granted by the authorities for the first time. This protection was enforced with the help of daily beach patrols by local rangers, who also relocated endangered nests to hatcheries, and collected data on nesting activity.These measures almost completely stopped illegal egg collection, and about 75% of the population’s nests were under protection.
In the following years, there were several changes in the management of the nesting islands. While conservation efforts on Playa Norte and Punta Sur were continued by national governmental and non-governmental organizations, in 2019 Turtle Foundation established a new conservation project on the last two until then unprotected nesting islands of the archipelago. As a result, a significant conservation gap has finally been closed. All the measures for the protection of sea turtles that had proven successful on the other islands in the years before were implemented.
In addition to our activities on the nesting islands, we have continuously campaigned against the production and sale of products made from turtle shell. With persistent campaigning and reporting of violations, we have succeeded in bringing this illegal trade to an almost complete halt.
A staff member from our partner organization is now stationed to develop possible conservation activities.
All activities are taking place in close cooperation with the nature conservation departments of the Ministry of the Sea and the Ministry of Forestry and Environment.